Lewes Railway Station hosts mini art galleries

Lewes train station, Sussex Down College Art on the Line exhibiton. Sherry Russel (Head of SDC), Ruth O'Keeffe, John Agard, James Horton (president Royal Society of British artists)

Published:10:00Thursday 30 January 2014

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Four recently refurbished waiting rooms at Lewes Railway Station have been transformed into mini art galleries.

‘Art on the Line’ is part of Southern Rail’s exciting partnership with Sussex Downs College in Lewes to introduce art at stations to promote local emerging artists and enhance the commuter experience.

The mini galleries have come to life thanks to carefully selected work by Sussex Downs College students who are planning careers in the creative industries – currently one of the fastest-growing sectors in the UK. The 25 individual pieces span genres including painting, illustration, photography and English language, with some of it already having achieved recognition through prestigious awards.

The pieces represent the progression of Sussex Downs College students, who hail from more than 15 different schools across East and West Sussex.

James Horton, President of the Royal Society of British Artists, officially launched ‘Art on the Line’ at Lewes station on Tuesday.

The event was also attended by local dignitaries including the Mayor of Lewes Cllr Ruth O’ Keeffe, Head of Sussex Downs Lewes College Sherry Russell, and Lewes resident and renowned performance poet John Agard, who recently received the Queen’s Gold Medal for poetry.

Katie Richards, Manager at Lewes Station, which has a footfall of 10,000 commuters a day, said: “This is a very exciting project that demonstrates Southern Rail’s commitment to the local community as well as to making the commuter experience a much more enjoyable one for all its customers.

“It’s only been a few weeks into the installation of the artwork and we have already had lots of very positive feedback and favourable comments from customers who think it’s a great idea.”